Double cropping and second row crop planters are known in the prior art. Such machines have not been widely utilized in agriculture mainly because of the extra cost necessitated for construction of a second special planting machine for the second crop and certain inefficiencies which have existed in the prior art machines for this purpose.
Accordingly, the object of this invention is to provide a more efficient and comparatively more economical machine for double crop planting over existing crops which will also enable the farmer to spray the new crop and trim off the tops of the standing crop in a single pass or operation, thus eliminating the need for additional spraying and/or topping machines or for additional passes through fields of crops. Because of the combined capability of the invention, a substantial savings of energy by the farmer is made possible.
More specifically, the present invention has for one of its features a double disc furrow opener which will not drag or clog up during use. A coacting depth gage wheel makes for greater precision in the placement of seed for the second crop and a seed coverer is included behind the furrow opener and gage wheels.
The machine also possesses a unique hinged planter support arm and spring biasing means whereby the planter has greater flexibility because of independent suspension for each planter unit on the machine.
Another feature of the invention is the mounting up front in full view of the tractor operator of a common seed box for all planter units and an adjacent forward seed box loader platform which is easily reached from the back of any seed supply truck.
Another improvement feature of the machine resides in the use of front and rear four point hitches and power lifting cylinders for the planter units and standing crop topping units.
The sprayer boom and individual flexible drop nozzles leading from it are disposed midway between the standing crop rows and direct chemical sprays correctly onto the new crops well in advance of the trimming litter produced by topping the original crop.
The machine is very well balanced by placement of the large chemical tanks above the rear wheels of the high tractor.
Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent during the course of the following detailed description.